Pedestrian found ‘resting’ in road

Donald Wayne McKenzie

Several residents called for assistance after noticing a man in the middle of the road Monday night.

According to reports, a deputy from the Newton County Sheriff’s Department responded to Stewart Church Road a little after 8 p.m. and noticed several vehicles stopped there and a man sitting in the road just off the yellow line.

The deputy approached the man, identified as 60-year-old Donald Wayne McKenzie, and asked him if he was OK, McKenzie reportedly told the deputy he was fine and just "laying down for a little while because there were no cars coming down the road."

The deputy could allegedly smell alcohol coming from McKenzie and when asked if he had been drinking he reportedly said that he had drank "two or three beers." When asked to stand up so that the cars could pass him and the roadway could be opened back up, McKenzie reportedly attempted to stand but was unable to do so without falling back down on the ground.

After helping him up, McKenzie was arrested and charged with pedestrian under the influence and transported to the Newton County Detention Center.